Sugarcane May Be Sweetest Source Yet for Quality, Sustainable Squalene

In humans, squalene is highly concentrated in the surface of the skin. It plays an important role in moisturization and provides protection from UV exposure and other sources of damaging radiation. So it's not surprising that squalene is a popular ingredient in skincare products. And while sharks have traditionally been a major source of squalene, plant sources are becoming increasingly appealing.

News Drill Down

Whiles olives have been the main plant-based source of squalene for some time, olive crops are highly susceptible to changes in weather and other damaging forces, according to an article from Cosmetics Design.

Sugarcane is a heartier crop than olives, explains an article from PSFK. Sugarcane squalene is "more pure, higher quality and a better ingredient for the consumer. It is easy to formulate with, readily biodegradable and has a very stable supply."

PFSK also notes that up to eight percent of the shark population is killed every year "in large part for the curative organic compounds found in their livers."

Plant-Based Squalene Trends Up

Learn more about search trends for plant-based squalene with Industry Analytics.

Formulator search data from the Prospector search engine (see graph above) shows a clear upward trend in interest in olive oil squalene and sugarcane. The volume of searches for sugarcane is typically higher than olive oil squalene, as shown by the blue bars that communicate relative volume. But we see this volume climbing even higher for sugarcane since the first quarter of 2015. In sharp contrast, formulator interest in shark squalene is trending downward, as shown by the orange line on the graph above.

Do you have a preferred squalene source for your skincare formulations? Let us know in the comments below.

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